Category: Uncategorized

Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing —James 1:4 God is timeless. We will live eternally too; but for now we see only a life of a few decades. Maybe that’s why patience is so hard for us. We know that repeatedly doing the same things and expecting different results is the very definition of insanity; yet God patiently waits for us to learn this lesson.  Ultimately, God will allow nothing to escape; every detail of our lives is under His scrutiny. God will bring us back in countless ways to the same point over and over again. And He never tires of bringing us back to that one point until we learn the lesson, because His purpose is to produce the finished product. It may be a problem arising from our impulsive nature, but again and again, with the most persistent patience, God has brought us back to that one particular point. Or the problem may be our idle and wandering thinking, or our independent nature and self-interest. Through this process, God is trying to impress upon us the one thing that is not entirely right in our lives. And […]

Jesus did not commit Himself to them . . . , for He knew what was in man —John 2:24-25 There is a truth we must come to if we are to truly live the Christian life: that we can only completely trust and rely on Jesus Christ. No other will live up to our expectations or completely deserve our complete trust. To expect such from anyone but Christ is unfair to that person. No one can live up to his complete faithfulness.  Many of the things in life that inflict the greatest injury, grief, or pain, stem from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts, seeing each other as we really are; we are only true to our misconceived ideas of one another. According to our thinking, everything is either delightful and good, or it is evil, malicious, and cowardly. Things are simply not that black and white. Much of the relationship pain is based on this misunderstanding. Young lovers place each other on pedestals which neither can stand up to forever.  Disappointment is assured. When the love one doesn’t measure up to this impossible standard, relationships are broken. […]

Behold, He is coming with clouds . . . —Revelation 1:7 Tuesday was Rosemary’s birthday and it rained. The rain was only really a problem at the time of her birthday celebration dinner when it was coming down pretty good and I had to run through the rain to get to the restaurant. Rosemary says it didn’t bother her; in fact, she said, she loves the rain. Of course, I had dropped her off under the covered walkway and I was the one getting wet. No mind, it was, after all, her birthday. I guess generally I like all the seasons and all forms of weather, in moderation. I love the first cool snap of fall, gumbo weather, but in February I am ready for spring’s warmth. I like a surprising spring shower but a week of rain and hurricanes I can probably do without. We are told that every cloud has a silver lining and I suppose that means that there is some good in even bad situations. For us Christians there is even better news, in every cloud, and, in fact, in every season and weather of our lives, there is Jesus.  He is there when times […]

He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side . . . —Mark 6:45 This verse begins the segment of scripture in which Jesus came walking on the water to the disciples who were straining at rowing the boat to the place He had directed them. Notice that He didn’t tell them: “Go out on the water and I’ll walk out to meet you.” Without a reason or a stated purpose, the disciples simply did what they were told. That’s how we need to respond to God. We must do what we are told. We don’t ask “why” or question the destination. We just walk on. Otherwise, we develop “dreams” or “visions” of where we should be. That’s God’s role. Ours is to be obedient. To put one foot in front of the other. We may never see the completed work or arrive at a clear destination, other than our heavenly home. In fact, as in this story, the destination wasn’t the point; the journey was. On our walk we encounter the Risen Christ, miraculous, walking on water and He calls us to deeper faith as He did Peter. What is my […]

If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine . . . —John 7:17 To really understand something, one has to do it. One trip to the Christian Book Store should convince anyone that there is plenty of “study” out there. One look at our world advises there isn’t much “learning.” The golden rule to follow to obtain spiritual understanding is not one of intellectual pursuit, but one of obedience. And our orders, the “rules” we are to obey are pretty simple: “Go and make disciplines.” Yet most of us, if we spend any time on our “walk” spend it reading or studying and very little doing. I learn more about my God in one week of VBS (not really doing that much) or one Kairos weekend than I do in months of study or reading and I do plenty of that. Although we deny it, we act as if Christianity is a theology rather than a walk. A walk requires steps but first it requires a destination. Christ gives us the destination and points our way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105. For too […]

Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart . . . . For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man . . . —Matthew 15:18-20 I love a good murder mystery or thriller. The bad guy has to be really bad. My wife prefers her bad guys more real. She follows politics and watches Fox News. Even as kids we love the Big Bad Wolf. I suspect that one of  the reason for our love of bad guys is our belief that God grades on the curve. It is comforting to know that there are men more evil than us out there. Of course we know that God doesn’t grade on the curve.  Maybe not all that comes from our mouths are “evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” but there is plenty enough bad stuff in us to make us unacceptable to a Holy God. His Word penetrates and shows us for what we are: sinners in need of a Savior. f I will take an honest look at myself, becoming fully aware of my so-called innocence […]

Blessed are . . . —Matthew 5:3-11 We wish to “be blessed.” We wish blessings on others.  But what does it really mean to “be blessed.” In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus describes many who are blessed; but the pronouncements  seems simplistic yet contradictory. The poor will have kingdoms; the mourning will be comforted, meek obtain power, etc. Many have tried to create a world where the Beatitudes are tghe norm. Others look at them as describing what heaven will be like. I believe Jesus is describing the incredible work of the Holy Spirit in the life of he believer. The teachings of Jesus are all out of proportion when compared to our natural way of looking at things, and they come to us initially with astonishing discomfort. We gradually have to conform our walk and conversation to the precepts of Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit applies them to our circumstances. The Sermon on the Mount is not a set of rules and regulations— it is a picture of the life we will live when the Holy Spirit is having His unhindered way with us. To  be  blessed is to live the Spirit controlled life and nothing […]

My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom . . . —1 Corinthians 2:4 As a trial lawyer, I am aware that the common perception is that the smoothest talking lawyer is likely to win his case. But my experience does not support that. Most juries have enough sense to determine the truth and where justice lies if the facts are presented to them. Some are, not doubt, influenced by persuasive talk, but not most. Paul was a scholar. His knowledge of the scriptures was unequaled. He was also an orator of the highest degree. The gospel is powerful and simple truth. Not only does it not need a smooth presentation, but when we attempt to persuade with our human wisdom, we detract from its power. Many of the most effective preachers have been poor orators. Some read their sermons in a dry monotone; but the spirit fell and souls were saved, because they spoke the word. As we learned this week at VBS, the bible is true. Whether we preach from pulpits or, as layman, preach with our lives, our goal is to lift up Jesus. “And I, if I am lifted up. […]